While the stop Steele effort is still in its early stages, many of the potential challengers will test their support during next week’s Republican Governors Association winter meeting and are expected to announce their candidacies sometime between the RGA meeting and Thanksgiving.

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VIDEO: Steele responds to critics

VIDEO: Barbour on 2012

POLITICO 44

Other prospective candidates are awaiting a sure sign from Steele that he will seek reelection to his post. The RNC chairman is expected to run for another term — and has made moves suggesting that is his plan — but has yet to confirm his intentions.

There’s “lots of activity to oust Steele,” said David Norcross, a longtime New Jersey committeeman who announced earlier this year that he’s leaving his post with the committee. "I don't think there is one 'ringleader,' but there are a number of unhappy members and a lot of general calling going on which is par for the course for RNC chair elections with no president to help us understand what we think."

Several influential RNC members told POLITICO there is widespread — and wild — speculation about possible challengers to Steele. But the top priority of many committee members, the sources said, isn’t necessarily coming to agreement on Steele’s replacement but rather ensuring he won’t have the votes to be reelected.

“There is a growing conversation amongst the members to take a look at what the options are and to identify what kind of chairman we need for the next cycle,” added another RNC member who spoke anonymously in order to be more frank.

“There is a growing consensus for some kind of change,” the committeeman added. “I don’t think it has necessarily culminated yet one way or another. A lot of people don’t want to jump to conclusions too early and want to give Steele a chance to decide what he’s going to do.”

An RNC spokesman declined to comment.

Henry Barbour, a national committee member from Mississippi and the nephew of Republican Governors Association Chairman Haley Barbour, is playing a key behind-the-scenes role in facilitating the discussions and is viewed as the hub of conversations on finding alternatives to Steele.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday Barbour, who has been in talks with many influential committee members about the future of the RNC, approached Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus about running.

Priebus would not respond to a request for comment.

“I like Michael Steele. I have worked to support Michael in the committee while he’s been chairman,” Barbour told POLITICO. “But it’s clear to me that we need a change for the next election cycle.”

Barbour was for a time rumored to be weighing a run of his own, but says now that he’s just part of an emerging conversation within the committee about blocking Steele from winning reelection.

“I gave it some serious thought,” Barbour said. “But I have a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old daughter at home and while they’re growing up, my place is at home.”

RNC sources pointed to Massachusetts Committeeman Ron Kaufman and former South Carolina Chairman Katon Dawson as two insiders also urging others to challenge Steele.

The NRCC is millions of dollars in debt basically because of Michael steele. besides the fact that he was out promoting himself instead of the party people stopped donating to them and sent their money elsewhere. You can't be chairman of the Republican party and go out on book tours. The republican victories had absolutely nothing to do with Steele.

Like Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Steele needs to leave Washington. Neither of them are of any use to this nation anymore, in my opinion. Both of them are, 'Brand-Name Politicians,' as far as I am concerned, good for nothing more than a face on a political box.

Steele should make it easy for them, and just tell them to take their chair and shove it up their ungrateful ***holes, since they are more concerned about their face, than they are about results. Steele poured vast amounts of energy into the cultivation of the grassroots during this cycle, and if the fools in their so-called high positions aren't happy with the job that he has done in bringing their once POS party back to life, then Steele should say **** 'em, and move on.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Last week's election was bad for Democrats. The next one could be worse. Senate Democrats running in 2012 will be trying to hold their jobs in states where Republicans just scored major congressional and gubernatorial victories - Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Virginia.

The Democrats' problems don't end with senators.

President Barack Obama carried those states in 2008, and he will need most of them to win re-election in two years. But this time they all will have Republican governors. These GOP governors can try to inhibit the president's policies and campaign operations. They also can help steer next year's once-a-decade House redistricting process in the GOP's favor.

Moreover, Democrats must defend Senate seats in hotly contested Missouri, and in four states that Obama has little chance of winning, assuming he even tries: North Dakota, Nebraska, West Virginia and Montana.

Read Full Story Here: apnews.myway.com/article/20101109/D9JCSAI80.html

"""As long as these Reps. don't screw up for the next 2 years I can assure you Conservatives will hold power in all three branches of Government. Take it to the bank...."""

While I like Steele, his job is to be a behind the scenes fundraiser and facilitator of GOTV efforts. Instead, he's used the chairmanship as a platform to be a spokesman for the GOP. This focus and various gaffes led to an anemic performance by the RNC in a very favorable year. The failure to implement a viable 72 hour plan as has been done in past campaigns is more to blame for GOP losses in close races than the unsuitable Tea Party candidates argument. This job demands someone in the mold of Haley Barbour who did an extraordinary job at the RGA but was absent from the public eye until the waning moments of the campaign when the success of his efforts became evident. This job requires someone effective rather than a personality, so I really do think Steele should be replaced.

While I like Steele, his job is to be a behind the scenes fundraiser and facilitator of GOTV efforts. Instead, he's used the chairmanship as a platform to be a spokesman for the GOP. This focus and various gaffes led to an anemic performance by the RNC in a very favorable year. The failure to implement a viable 72 hour plan as has been done in past campaigns is more to blame for GOP losses in close races than the unsuitable Tea Party candidates argument. This job demands someone in the mold of Haley Barbour who did an extraordinary job at the RGA but was absent from the public eye until the waning moments of the campaign when the success of his efforts became evident. This job requires someone effective rather than a personality, so I really do think Steele should be replaced.

Whiole I have no real dislike for Chmn. Steele the thing that bothers me is the lifestyle thats eems pervasive. Lavish spending on hotels,fine dining and that strip club fiasco require a good housecleaning regardless of the outcome of the mid terms. Therse things all happend on Stelle's watch and he is accountable!

GOP must be under severe pressure from new Teaparty racists to get rid of the black guy on top.. Sickos.

This doesn't appear to be the work of the Tea Party, since it and Steele are working towards the same goals, and those goals are in direct opposition to those old "dead" Republicans which were brought back to life by Steele and the Tea Party; the same old Republicans which are now tryng to marginalize, if not co-opt the Tea Party, Steele and Palin, and didn't help Christine O'Donnell, and have helped Murkowski defeat Miller in Alaska.

It could be, but now that the slobbering outraged GOP controls the house, they will actually have to do something.

Most half wit conservatives do not understand why the house swung this election. They calim it as an endorsement of GOP and conservative philosophy.

That is rather stupid! The public is angry about the economy, and even though the GOP has no more respect than dems, the public wanted a change. If the trash talking GOP does not write and get good legislation passed, they will "BE" washington, the very thing they ran against.

Just as Obama swept into a majority in 2008, and has been badly damaged by the economy, the arrogant GOP could easily blow it.

You fools are good at politics, but miserable at governing for the middle class.

Conservative politico posters mostly puke up kiddie level talking points gleaned from FOX news and teaparty crackpots, you don't even know what the budget looks like, much less how to cut it without badly damaging the country.

Andy, Andy, Andy ... this is FAR below the usual quality of your work. It's just a bunch of chatter about the whisper campaign being waged against Michael Steele w/o anything explaining why it is that so many Republicans supposedly want him out. CAN SOMEBODY (Republicans only) WHO GENUINELY WANTS STEELE GONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY?

The guy had his growing pains but the party did well. Let's build on what we have. Keep Michael Steele!

I agree. This is but another underhanded hit piece from Politico. Steele helped bring us to a 63/4 seat election blow out, he's embracing the TEA Party ( thats what Politicos real problem is ) and like Palin...he rubs all the right people the wrong way.

The guy had his growing pains but the party did well. Let's build on what we have. Keep Michael Steele!

I agree. This is but another underhanded hit piece from Politico. Steele helped bring us to a 63/4 seat election blow out, he's embracing the TEA Party ( thats what Politicos real problem is ) and like Palin...he rubs all the right people the wrong way.